APEA EXAM CARDIO 2023 PRACTICE
SCRIPT UPDATED 2026 TESTED SOLUTIONS
⫸ Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy Answer: A caregiver making up or
causing an illness or injury in a person under his or her care.
⫸ Symptoms of depression Answer: Side effect of medications such as
serotonin and norepinephrine.
⫸ Lesion characteristics Answer: A dark raised and asymmetric lesion
with irregular border is indicative of melanoma.
⫸ Puffiness of the eyes Answer: Dull puffiness of the eyes pronounced
not pitting periorbital edema suggests nephrotic syndrome.
⫸ Prophylactic medication for migraines Answer: Amitriptyline (Elavil)
is considered off-label use for prophylactic treatment of migraines.
⫸ Scaling on the scalp Answer: Areas of scaling on the scalp with
round patches of alopecia are consistent with tinea capitis.
⫸ Combined hormonal contraceptive contraindications Answer:
Contraindicated in women older than 45, breastfeeding, smoking,
hypertension, diabetes, or history of stroke.
,⫸ Bloody nipple discharge Answer: Bloody spontaneous discharge
from the right nipple indicates the need for further evaluation.
⫸ Rho (D) immunoglobulin administration Answer: Rh negative
women should receive Rho (D) immunoglobulin at 28 weeks' gestation.
⫸ Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) Answer: MCV describes the size
of the RBCs; small-sized RBCs result in a lower MCV, while larger
RBCs result in a higher MCV.
⫸ Avoided medication for headache prophylaxis Answer: Venlafaxine
(Effexor) should be avoided due to serious side effects.
⫸ Prostaglandin E1 (PG1) mechanism Answer: Maintains patency of
the great arteries in a patient with transposition of the great arteries.
⫸ Calf pain in peripheral artery disease Answer: A dull pain or cramp
describes lower extremity calf pain associated with peripheral artery
disease.
⫸ Hyperprolactinemia symptoms Answer: Typical symptoms include
infertility, oligomenorrhea, or amenorrhea in premenopausal women.
⫸ Asthma treatment Answer: Short-acting bronchodilators are used to
relieve acute wheezing in asthma patients.
, ⫸ Shingles vaccine Answer: The shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine
reduces the risk for infection with the virus that causes painful localized
blistering rash.
⫸ Short-Acting Beta Agonist (SABA) Answer: Inhalers for acute
asthma attacks, quickly relieve constriction.
⫸ Albuterol Answer: Common SABA, brand name Ventolin.
⫸ Levalbuterol Answer: SABA, brand name Xopenex, less side effects.
⫸ Pirbuterol Answer: SABA, brand name Maxair, used for asthma.
⫸ Terbutaline Answer: SABA, brand name Brethine, relaxes airway
muscles.
⫸ Metaproterenol Answer: SABA, brand name Alupent,
bronchodilator.
⫸ Varicella vaccine Answer: Protects against chickenpox and shingles.
⫸ Shingles (herpes zoster) Answer: Painful rash from dormant varicella
zoster virus.
SCRIPT UPDATED 2026 TESTED SOLUTIONS
⫸ Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy Answer: A caregiver making up or
causing an illness or injury in a person under his or her care.
⫸ Symptoms of depression Answer: Side effect of medications such as
serotonin and norepinephrine.
⫸ Lesion characteristics Answer: A dark raised and asymmetric lesion
with irregular border is indicative of melanoma.
⫸ Puffiness of the eyes Answer: Dull puffiness of the eyes pronounced
not pitting periorbital edema suggests nephrotic syndrome.
⫸ Prophylactic medication for migraines Answer: Amitriptyline (Elavil)
is considered off-label use for prophylactic treatment of migraines.
⫸ Scaling on the scalp Answer: Areas of scaling on the scalp with
round patches of alopecia are consistent with tinea capitis.
⫸ Combined hormonal contraceptive contraindications Answer:
Contraindicated in women older than 45, breastfeeding, smoking,
hypertension, diabetes, or history of stroke.
,⫸ Bloody nipple discharge Answer: Bloody spontaneous discharge
from the right nipple indicates the need for further evaluation.
⫸ Rho (D) immunoglobulin administration Answer: Rh negative
women should receive Rho (D) immunoglobulin at 28 weeks' gestation.
⫸ Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) Answer: MCV describes the size
of the RBCs; small-sized RBCs result in a lower MCV, while larger
RBCs result in a higher MCV.
⫸ Avoided medication for headache prophylaxis Answer: Venlafaxine
(Effexor) should be avoided due to serious side effects.
⫸ Prostaglandin E1 (PG1) mechanism Answer: Maintains patency of
the great arteries in a patient with transposition of the great arteries.
⫸ Calf pain in peripheral artery disease Answer: A dull pain or cramp
describes lower extremity calf pain associated with peripheral artery
disease.
⫸ Hyperprolactinemia symptoms Answer: Typical symptoms include
infertility, oligomenorrhea, or amenorrhea in premenopausal women.
⫸ Asthma treatment Answer: Short-acting bronchodilators are used to
relieve acute wheezing in asthma patients.
, ⫸ Shingles vaccine Answer: The shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine
reduces the risk for infection with the virus that causes painful localized
blistering rash.
⫸ Short-Acting Beta Agonist (SABA) Answer: Inhalers for acute
asthma attacks, quickly relieve constriction.
⫸ Albuterol Answer: Common SABA, brand name Ventolin.
⫸ Levalbuterol Answer: SABA, brand name Xopenex, less side effects.
⫸ Pirbuterol Answer: SABA, brand name Maxair, used for asthma.
⫸ Terbutaline Answer: SABA, brand name Brethine, relaxes airway
muscles.
⫸ Metaproterenol Answer: SABA, brand name Alupent,
bronchodilator.
⫸ Varicella vaccine Answer: Protects against chickenpox and shingles.
⫸ Shingles (herpes zoster) Answer: Painful rash from dormant varicella
zoster virus.
